Device for securing a container to a hoist

ABSTRACT

A device for securing a container to a hoist includes a frame rigidly connectable to the hoist; first and second hooks mounted in mutually close proximity and to the frame to rotate about an axis between a retracted, unlocked position away from the long sill of the container and an activated, locking position disposed at least partially over the long sill; an actuator mounted to the frame to move between an activating position and a retracting position, the actuator engageable with the hooks to rotate the hooks from the activated, locking position to the retracted, unlocked position when the actuator moves from the activating position and the retracting position; springs operationally connected with the hooks for urging the hooks toward the activated, locking position; and, a power device connected with the actuator to move the actuator between the activating and retracting positions.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of material-haulingcontainers and vehicles for transporting such containers, andspecifically to devices for securing such containers to the vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Large containers are available for collecting, transporting and/ordumping waste, bulk and liquid materials. A typical container willinclude at least a pair of long sills running the length thereof and aplurality of laterally extending cross sills spaced along the length ofand atop the long sills. Such containers are transported on largecontainer hoists that include a vehicle with a hoist frame hingedlyconnected to the rear of the vehicle frame. The hoist frame includes along pair of hoist frame rails and can be pivoted between a containerloading, unloading and dumping position and a horizontal transportposition. When a container is pulled atop the hoist frame, the longsills of the container straddle the hoist frame rails, and the front ofthe container is secured to the front end of the hoist by the liftingdevice or other suitable restraint mechanism, in accord with theapplicable governing regulations. Such regulations also provide that therear of the container must likewise be secured. One acceptable manner oftiedown is by hooks or an equivalent mechanism, securing both sides ofthe container to the vehicle chassis or hoist frame. Such mechanism mustbe within two meters of the rear of the container.

A variety of hold-down mechanisms have been devised to secure the rearend of a container to the hoist frame. One type of hold-down deviceincludes a fixed hook mounted on each side of the container hoist andmating posts extending outwardly from opposing sides of the container.As the container is pulled up onto the hoist, the posts register underthe fixed hooks to secure the container onto the hoist. There are anumber of problems associated with this type of arrangement. Forexample, some containers may lack the mating post, in which case therewill be nothing to hold the rear end of the container down which, inaddition to being a violation of the federal regulations, would pose asignificant safety concern. Another problem is that the fixed hook andpost design does not permit longitudinal adjustment of the container onthe hoist, which is often desired to optimized the weight distributionof the load over the vehicle axles.

Another type of hold-down device includes a hook pivotably mounted tothe hoist frame and operable to pivot up and over the container longsill. Such devices frequently fail to lockingly engage with thecontainer long sill, however, because one of the container cross sillsobstructs the pivoting hook's path. This occurs because the vehiclehoists and containers vary in size and configuration from onemanufacturer to another and because the containers are not alwayslocated in the exact same position upon a particular hoist. For example,the spacing between adjacent cross sills of typical containers can varybetween 12 and 20 inches. In special cases where extraordinary strengthis needed, a container could be made with cross sills spacedconsiderably closer together. As a result, the chances are fairly goodthat a cross sill of a container will align with the hold-down hook of ahoist, which in turn will prevent the hook from properly engaging withthe container long sill.

What is desired is an improved device for holding a container down in asecure position atop a vehicle-mounted hoist frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally speaking, there is provided a device for securing a containerto a vehicle-mounted hoist frame, the device including a mutuallyproximal pair of hooks that can be actuated to pivot up and over the topof the long sill of a container.

A device for securing a container to a hoist includes a frame rigidlyconnectable to the hoist; first and second hooks mounted in mutuallyclose proximity and to the frame to rotate about an axis between aretracted, unlocked position away from the long sill of the containerand an activated, locking position disposed at least partially over thelong sill; an actuator mounted to the frame to move between anactivating position and a retracting position, the actuator engageablewith the hooks to rotate the hooks from the activated, locking positionto the retracted, unlocked position when the actuator moves from theactivating position and the retracting position; springs operationallyconnected with the hooks for urging the hooks toward the activated,locking position; and, a power device connected with the actuator tomove the actuator between the activating and retracting positions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved devicefor holding a container securely onto a vehicle-mounted hoist frame.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hold-down device 10 in accordance withthe preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the hold-down device 10 of FIG. 1 and showinghooks 16 and 17 in the retracted, unlocked position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the hold-down device 10 of FIG. 2,taken along the lines 3—3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of central hook actuator 18 of thehold-down device 10 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the hold-down device 10 of FIG. 3and showing hooks 16 and 17 in the activated, locking position.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the hold-down device 10 of FIG. 5and showing hook 17 in the activated, unlocked position.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of central hook actuator 18 and spring loadingtool 95 in a spring loading position.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the central hook actuator 18 andspring loading tool 95 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated inthe drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended, and that any alterations or modificationsin the illustrated device, and any further applications of theprinciples of the invention as illustrated therein are contemplated aswould normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown a hold-down device 10 forsecuring a container onto the hoist frame 11 of a vehicle (not shown).The vehicle is any appropriate vehicle designed to pick up and carry acontainer such as a container for hauling waste. Such vehicle typicallyis provided with a hoist frame hingedly connected to the rear of thevehicle so that the hoist frame 11 may be pivoted between a horizontaltransport position and an inclined loading, unloading and dumpingposition. Such vehicles are well known in the material hauling industry.

Device 10 generally includes a support frame 15, a pair of hooks 16 and17, a central hook actuator 18, a pair of coil springs 21 and 22, an aircylinder 23 and a pivot axle 24. Frame 15 includes a main mountingbracket 26 and a housing body 27. Main mounting bracket 26 includes anangle iron brace 28, a pair of inner mounting brackets 31 and 32 and apair of outer mounting brackets 33 and 34. Mounting brackets 31-34 eachdefine mutually co-axial holes sized to receive axle 24 therethrough.Housing body 27 includes a pair of opposing side walls 35 and 36 andfront cross member 37 rigidly extending between walls 35 and 36. Sidewalls 35 and 36 are rigidly connected at their inboard ends to outermounting brackets 33 and 34 by any appropriate means such as welding, asshown. Front cross member 37 further includes a pair of upstandingcylinder mounting brackets 40 and 41. Frame 15 has an uppermost surface42 that is located on the top of brace 28. In the 5 retracted, unlockedposition (FIG. 3), all remaining elements of device 10 lie below surface42. Consequently, when device 10 is mounted to hoist frame 11 and thehooks 16 and 17 are retracted, device 10 is located sufficiently belowand will not obstruct any downwardly protruding elements (such aswheels) of a container being loaded on hoist frame 11. In oneembodiment, the uppermost edge 43 of hook 17 in the retracted position(FIG. 3) is at least two inches below surface 42. While containerconfigurations will vary from one container to another, the design ofhold-down device 10 enables both a flat and low profile while alsoallowing the hooks 16 and 17 to rotate up to a secure locking positionon a widely sized range of containers.

Hooks 16 and 17 are mirror images of each other, and description willprimarily be directed to just one of hooks 16 and 17, it beingunderstood to apply to the other of the hooks in mirror fashion. Hook 17includes a central mounting portion 44, a leg 45 extending generallyradially outwardly from mounting portion 44, and a hook member 46extending generally orthogonally from arm 45, as shown in FIG. 3.Central mounting portion 44 includes a central hole 49 sized to receiveaxle 24 therethrough. Hook 17 further defines a control arm 51 thatextends laterally from a region on mounting portion 44 approximately atthe juncture of mounting portion 44 and leg 45 and toward the other hook16. Control arms 51 and 50 (of hook 16) extend toward each other anequal distance, but do not touch. Hooks 16 and 17 are each provided witha grease fill port 52 that is in communication with its central hole 49.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, central actuator 18 includes a central,cylindrically shaped hub 55, a control fin 56, a piston connection fin57, and a spring bar 58. Hub 55 defines a central bore 60 with an axis61, the bore 60 extending through the width of hub 55 and being sized toreceive axle 24 therethrough. For purposes of description, hub 55 alsoincludes opposing left and right annular faces 64 and 65 that are inmutually parallel planes and orthogonal to axis 61. Also extendingsubstantially perpendicular to axis 61 are forwardly extending controlfin 56 and rearwardly extending piston connection fin 57. Control fin 56includes a hook bar 66 with a downwardly facing engagement surface 67that is configured and positioned to engage with the control arms 50 and51 of hooks 16 and 17 during operation of hold-down device 10, asdiscussed herein. In the present embodiment, surface 67 lies in the sameplane with axis 61. A grease fill port 68 (FIGS. 1 and 8) is provided tohub 55, the port 68 being in communication with central bore 60.

Piston connection fin 57 extends rearwardly of axis 61 (to the left inFIG. 2) and downwardly of planar surface 67 (as viewed in FIG. 2). Atits outboard end 69, fin 57 rotatably connects with the outboard end 70of piston rod 71 of air cylinder 23 by a pin 72 that extends through ahole 73 in fin 57. Hole 73 is disposed far enough below planar surface67 to permit piston rod 71 to connect with hole 73 without contactinghub 55 in the retracted, unlocked position shown in FIG. 3. Pistonconnection fin 57 also defines a spring tool recess 74 in its outboardend 69, proximal to hole 73.

Like hooks 16 and 17, coil springs 21 and 22 are mirror images of eachother, and description of one is intended to apply in mirror fashion tothe other. Springs 21 and 22 are coil springs with their terminal arms76-77 and 78-79 extending substantially tangentially therefrom. Springs21 and 22 are operationally engaged with hooks 16 and 17 to urge hooks16 and 17 toward the activated, locking position shown in FIG. 5. Thespring constant K of spring 22 is selected to cause corresponding hook17 to firmly engage and stay in the locking position over a long sill 82of a container, but also to permit the corresponding hook to be manuallypulled away from the locking position. In one embodiment, spring 22 is acoil spring with a Spring Index C of 10.5942, a Rate of 2.2470#—in/deg.and a Nat. Freq. of 120.2847 Hz.

Hooks 16 and 17, springs 21 and 22 and central hook actuator 18 aremounted for rotation to frame 15 by axle 24. In one embodiment, axle 24is a bolt and a nut. These elements are assembled as shown in FIGS. 1-3whereby springs 21 and 22 encircle hub 55 on opposite sides of controlfin 56 and are preloaded, as described herein. Central actuator 18 andsprings 21 and 22 are then positioned between inner mounting brackets 31and 32, and hooks 16 and 17 are positioned between their respectivemounting bracket pairs 31, 33 and 32, 34, respectively, as shown in FIG.3. Axle 24 is then received through the now coaxial holes in all thesemembers to permit hooks 16 and 17, central hook actuator 18 and springs21 and 22 to rotate about axle 24. Washers, such as at 83 are providedbetween certain of these members, as desired. As shown in FIG. 3, spring21 is disposed upon hub 55 such that terminal arm 76 is lodged counterclockwise of spring bar 58, and the opposing terminal arm 77 is disposedclockwise of control arm 50. Furthermore, terminal arms 76 and 77 arestressed in the positions shown in FIG. 2 such that terminal arms 76 and77 are biased to unwind toward each other in the direction of arrows 85and 86.

Frame 15 is rigidly connected to the frame longitudinal running framerails 87 of hoist 11 by appropriate means such as welding, and it ispositioned so that when hooks 16 and 17 are actuated, as shown in FIGS.1 and 4, at least one of hooks 16 and 17 will be properly positionedover the long sill 82 of the corresponding container that has beenpositioned onto hoist frame 11. Hold-down device 10 may be mounted tothe outside or inside of the frame rails 87, as space permits.

Hold-down device 10 operates as follows:

With hold-down device 10 in the retracted, unlocked position shown inFIG. 2, air cylinder 23 is activated to retract piston rod 71 whichrotates actuator 18 and its spring bar 58 and engagement surface 67counterclockwise in excess of 90°, approximately to the position shownin FIG. 5. In one embodiment, actuator 18 is configured to rotatethrough an angle of 99°. Rotation of spring bar 58 further windsterminal arms 76 and 78 of springs 21 and 22 about hub 55. Since bar 66has also rotated counterclockwise, hooks 16 and 17, under the bias ofterminal arms 77 and 79 of springs 21 and 22, also rotate the sameapproximate 99°, depending on the size, configuration and positioning ofthe corresponding hoist frame and container. Hooks 16 and 17 areprevented from rotating any further counterclockwise by the abuttingengagement of their control arms 50 and 51 against engagement surface 67of hook bar 66 or by engagement with long sill 82. As shown in FIG. 5,hooks 16 and 17 are both in the activated, locking position, and thehook members 46 are thereby in a hold-down, locking position over thelong sill 82 of a container positioned atop hoist frame 11. Containersreceived onto hoist frames described herein typically include long sills82 in addition to a plurality of cross sills 88. When the container isreceived onto the hoist, and hold-down device 10 is activated, a crosssill 88 may impede one of hooks 16 and 17 from fully rotating to theactivated, locking position shown in FIG. 5. In this case, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 6, the impeded hook 17, though biased to continue rotatingcounterclockwise, engages the underside of cross sill 88, and cannotrotate any farther counterclockwise. In a typical container, the crosssills 88 will be between about 12 and 20 inches apart on center and maybe up to about 3.5 inches or 3.75 inches wide. In this typical case, theminimum gap between a pair of adjacent cross sills would be a littleover about eight inches. The hooks 16 and 17 of device 10 are sized,configured and assembled to be in mutual close proximity. That is, theyare relatively close together so that they will not both be impeded by apair of adjacent cross sills of a typical container. In one embodiment,the total width W of hooks 16 and 17, from outer face 90 to outer face91, is about seven inches, which would prevent both hooks 16 and 17 frombeing impeded at the same time by two, adjacent cross sills of a typicalcontainer. Likewise, the gap G between hooks 16 and 17 in one embodimentis about four inches, which would prevent both hooks 16 and 17 frombeing impeded at the same time by a single cross sill 88 in a typicalcontainer. The present invention is thus designed to accommodate thevast majority of container configurations. It is recognized, however,that, despite the added cost and weight, a container may be constructedfor a special purpose where the cross sills are wider than normal and/orconsiderably closer together than normal. In such case, the hooks 16 and17 of device 10 are sized, configured and assembled to be in mutualclose proximity relative to the specially sized container so that bothhooks cannot be impeded in their rotation to securely hold-down thecontainer. Such mutually close proximity is understood to include valuesfor the width W and gap G that may differ from the foregoing preferredvalues of seven inches and four inches, respectively, as dictated by thespecially sized container. In FIG. 6, since the next, most-adjacentcross sill (not shown) to cross sill 88 is farther from cross sill 88than the distance between hooks 16 and 17, hook 16 will not be impededfrom fully rotating to its activated, locking position. Long sill 82 isthereby successfully engaged by at least one of hooks 16 and 17, and thecorresponding container (not shown) is properly locked in the hold-downposition.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 there is shown a spring loading tool 95 tofacilitate preloading of springs 21 and 22. Tool 95 comprises a U-shapedpiece of wire having a relatively straight, central fin engagementportion 96. The opposing, outboard ends of tool 95 are curved around toform loops 98 and 99 that are sized and shaped to receive the terminalends 77 and 79 of springs 21 and 22.

In use, springs 21 and 22 are slid onto the opposing ends of hub 55.Actuator 18 is then stabilized such as by clamping it in a vice orsimilar structure such that the opposing faces 64 and 65 are engagedwith the jaws of the vice. Tool 95 is then positioned so that springterminal ends 77 and 79 (now in the relaxed position shown in dashedlines in FIG. 8 at 92) extend through loops 98 and 99, respectively.Spring ends 77 and 79 may then be manually pulled along with tool 95 tothe preloaded condition whereby fin engagement portion 96 is positionedup over outboard end 69 sufficient to allow it to seat within recess 74.Terminal ends 77 and 79 are now held in the preloaded condition, andactuator 18, springs 21 and 22, and the remaining elements may then beassembled as described above. Once actuator 18 and springs 21 and 22 aremounted to frame 15, tool 95 is removed by pulling fin engagementportion 96 down and out of recess 74 whereby terminal ends 77 and 79rotate up against control arms 50 and 51, respectively, and bias them inthe direction of arrow 86.

Components described herein may be manufactured separately or may beintegrally formed to accommodate ease of replacement, costconsiderations, maintenance concerns and the like. In addition, cylinder23 is described as an air cylinder, but any other appropriate poweringmeans are also contemplated, such as a hydraulic cylinder or amechanical device such as a rack and pinion combination.

It is contemplated that actuator 18 may be of different construction ormay made to interact differently with the other components of device 10so long as a powered unit, such as cylinder 23, operates to rotate thehooks 16 and 17 from the activated, locking position to the retracted,unlocked position when desired. For example, and not by limitation,piston rod 71 could be connected with hooks 16 and 17 using a slot andpin arrangement.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered asillustrated and not restrictive in character, it being understood thatonly the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that allchanges and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventionare desired to be protected.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for securing a container to a hoist, thecontainer having at least one long sill, comprising: a frame rigidlyconnectable to a hoist; first and second hooks mounted in mutually closeproximity and to said frame to rotate about an axis between a retracted,unlocked position away from the long sill of a container and anactivated, locking position disposed at least partially over the longsill; biasing means operationally connected with said hooks for urgingsaid hooks toward the activated, locking position; and, actuator meansfor moving said first and second hooks from the activated, lockingposition to the retracted, unlocked position.
 2. The device for securinga container to a hoist of claim 1 wherein said biasing means includesfirst and second coil springs operationally connected with said firstand second hooks, respectively, to urge said hooks toward the activated,locking position.
 3. The device for securing a container to a hoist ofclaim 1 wherein said actuator means includes an actuator mounted to saidframe to rotate about said axis between an activating position and aretracting position.
 4. The device for securing a container to a hoistof claim 3 wherein said actuator includes a hub and wherein said biasingmeans includes first and second coil springs that encircle the hub. 5.The device for securing a container to a hoist of claim 4 furtherincluding a hook engagement member operationally connected between saidhooks and said actuator to limit the rotation of said each of said hookstoward the activated, locking position as a function of the position ofsaid actuator.
 6. The device for securing a container to a hoist ofclaim 5 wherein said hook engagement member includes said actuatorhaving a hook bar sized and configured to engage with and rotate saidhooks from the activated, locking position to the retracted, unlockedposition when said actuator rotates from the activating position to theretracting position.
 7. The device for securing a container to a hoistof claim 6 wherein each of said hooks includes a control arm extendinglaterally between said hooks to be engageable by the hook bar.
 8. Thedevice for securing a container to a hoist of claim 7 wherein each ofsaid coil springs includes a first terminal arm that is operationallyconnected with one of said hooks to bias said one of said hooks towardthe activated, locking position.
 9. The device for securing a containerto a hoist of claim 8 wherein each of said coil springs includes asecond terminal arm that is operationally connected with said actuatorto maintain the bias of the spring upon said one of said hooks.
 10. Thedevice for securing a container to a hoist of claim 9 wherein saidactuator includes a spring bar sized and configured to engage with thesecond terminal arms.
 11. The device for securing a container to a hoistof claim 10 wherein said actuator means includes a pneumatic cylindermounted to said frame and having a piston rod with an outboard endconnected to said actuator to move said actuator between the activatingposition and the retracting position.
 12. The device for securing acontainer to a hoist of claim 5 wherein said actuator further includes acontrol fin sized and configured to engage with said hooks, and whereinsaid springs are disposed on opposite sides of the control fin.
 13. Thedevice for securing a container to a hoist of claim 12 wherein thecontrol fin includes a hook bar sized and configured to engage with androtate said hooks from the activated, locking position to the retracted,unlocked position when said actuator rotates from the activatingposition to the retracting position.
 14. The device for securing acontainer to a hoist of claim 13 wherein said actuator further includesa spring bar and wherein each of said springs includes first and secondterminal arms, the second terminal arms engaged with the spring bar andthe first terminal arms engaged with said hooks to urge said hookstoward the activated, locking position.
 15. The device for securing acontainer to a hoist of claim 1 further wherein said frame defines anuppermost surface and wherein the retracted, unlocked position includesthe entirety of said hooks being at or below the uppermost surface ofsaid frame.
 16. The device for securing a container to a hoist of claim1 wherein said hooks rotate approximately 99 degrees between theretracted, unlocked position and the activated, locking position.
 17. Adevice for securing a container to a hoist, the container having atleast one long sill, comprising: a frame rigidly connectable to a hoist;first and second hooks mounted to said frame to rotate about an axisbetween a retracted, unlocked position away from the long sill of acontainer and an activated, locking position disposed at least partiallyover the long sill; an actuator mounted to said frame to move between anactivating position and a retracting position; a hook engagement memberoperationally connected between said hooks and said actuator to limitthe rotation of said each of said hooks toward the activated, lockingposition as a function of the position of said actuator; biasing meansoperationally connected with said hooks for urging said hooks toward theactivated, locking position; and, power means connected with saidactuator to move said actuator between the activating and retractingpositions.
 18. The device for securing a container to a hoist of claim17 wherein said hooks are mounted to said frame in mutually closeproximity.
 19. The device for securing a container to a hoist of claim17 wherein said biasing means includes at least one coil springoperationally connected with at least one of said first and second hooksto urge said at least one of said first and second hooks toward theactivated, locking position.
 20. The device for securing a container toa hoist of claim 19 wherein said actuator includes a hub and whereinthere are two of said at least one coil springs each mounted on said huband each operationally connected with one of said hooks to urge saidhook toward the activated, locking position.
 21. The device for securinga container to a hoist of claim 19 wherein said actuator includes a hubmounted to said frame to rotate about the axis between the activatingposition and the retracting position and wherein the at least one coilspring encircles the hub.
 22. The device for securing a container to ahoist of claim 17 wherein said hook engagement member includes saidactuator having a hook bar sized and configured to engage with androtate said hooks from the activated, locking position to the retracted,unlocked position when said actuator rotates from the activatingposition to the retracting position.
 23. The device for securing acontainer to a hoist of claim 22 wherein each of said hooks includes acontrol arm extending laterally between said hooks to be engageable bythe hook bar.
 24. The device for securing a container to a hoist ofclaim 23 wherein said biasing means includes at least one coil springwith a first terminal arm that is operationally connected with at leastone of said first and second hooks to urge said at least one of saidfirst and second hooks toward the activated, locking position.
 25. Thedevice for securing a container to a hoist of claim 24 wherein said atleast one coil spring includes a second terminal arm that isoperationally connected with said actuator to maintain the bias of saidat least one coil spring upon said at least one of said first and secondhooks.
 26. The device for securing a container to a hoist of claim 25wherein said actuator includes a spring bar sized and configured toengage with each second terminal arm to maintain the bias of said atleast one coil spring.
 27. The device for securing a container to ahoist of claim 17 wherein said power means includes a pneumatic cylindermounted to said frame and having a piston rod with an outboard endconnected to said actuator to move said actuator between the activatingposition and the retracting position.
 28. A device for securing acontainer to a hoist the container having a long sill, comprising: aframe rigidly connectable to a hoist; first and second hooks mounted inmutually close proximity and to said frame to rotate about an axisbetween a retracted, unlocked position away from the long sill of acontainer and an activated, locking position disposed at least partiallyover the long sill; an actuator mounted to said frame to move between anactivating position and a retracting position, said actuator engageablewith said hooks to rotate said hooks from the activated, lockingposition to the retracted, unlocked position when said actuator movesfrom the activating position and the retracting position; springsoperationally connected with said hooks for urging said hooks toward theactivated, locking position; and, power means connected with saidactuator to move said actuator between the activating and retractingpositions.